U.S. considers closing border with Canada if bird flu strikes

[Snowy Owl]

U.S. considers closing border with Canada if bird flu strikes
http://www.canada.com
​

Sheldon Alberts, CanWest News Service
​

Published: Thursday, May 04, 2006

WASHINGTON - The United States on Wednesday said it would consider closing its land border to Canada during an avian flu outbreak, despite the potential for a crippling effect on the economy of both countries.

In a 227-page report outlining its plans to fight an avian flu pandemic, the White House warned America's land borders could become ``the greatest point of vulnerability'' if a bird flu pandemic in North America appears first in Canada or Mexico.

The Bush administration's National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza, cast a border shutdown as the least-preferable option for fighting the disease, saying it would "likely delay but not stop the spread of influenza to the United States'' and would have a "devastating economic impact.''

But, while stressing the need to work with Canada and Mexico on a continental plan to contain the virus including a preference for limited travel restrictions the report also said "planning should consider a range of alternatives, from approaches that permit the cross-border flow of critical goods to complete border closure.''

It notes that "a complete closure of U.S. borders to international travel would be unprecedented.''

The White House report is part of a $7.1-billion US flu-preparation plan that President George W. Bush announced last fall after coming under heavy criticism for federal failures in the response to hurricane Katrina in Louisiana.

In a worst-case scenario, the administration predicts as many as two million Americans would die during a bird flu outbreak. It estimates that 40 per cent of the country's workforce would be affected and that disruptions in the country's economy would last for months.

The White House says it plans "significant outreach'' with Canada and Mexico on a continental plan to prevent, or slow, spread of the disease if a pandemic emerges in Asia, Africa or Europe. The U.S. is seeking "commitments for rigorous screening'' of passengers arriving into both Canada and Mexico.''

In its federal budget on Tuesday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative government announced $460 million over the next two years to prepare for the threat of a bird flu pandemic. The amount could jump to $1 billion over five years, the budget said.

The White House report suggested ``targeted traveller restrictions'' as alternatives to closure of the U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico, including pre-screening of travellers for signs of illness by requiring temperature scanning and obtaining travel histories before departure.

The U.S. also suggests that travellers undergo diagnostic testing when they arrive in the country. Any travellers exhibiting influenza-like symptoms "may potentially be quarantined until definitive testing is complete.''

The White House report predicts that a case of pandemic influenza would arrive in the U.S. from overseas within one to two months of an outbreak and that ``highly restrictive'' border measures might delay its spread by a "few weeks.''

That delay could buy the country valuable time to prepare emergency measures and the delivery vaccines.

"Outbreaks in Canada or Mexico might further increase pressure to close U.S. borders,'' the report said, just as a U.S. outbreak might prompt America's neighbours to do the same.

"A United States border closure would have a devastating economic impact, interrupt delivery of essential services and disrupt substantial cross-border commerce.''

The Canada-U.S. manufacturing industry particularly the auto industry would be hit especially hard, the report said.

"While we should take measures to protect travellers and limit their ability to transmit disease, there is little benefit to trade restriction if there are adequate measures in place to limit exposure to infected individuals and potentially contaminated surfaces.''

Potentially more worrisome, the White House suggested, is the threat of a bird flu outbreak in Central America, which it said "may trigger a mass migration'' of people seeking to escape the virus.

Concern about an avian influenza outbreak has been on the rise with the emergence of the H5N1 strain of the virus in Asia. The virus has so far killed more than 113 people out of a recorded 205 infections since late 2003, mostly in Asia, but is not yet easily transmittable among humans.

? CanWest News Service 2006​

 

[Goju]

Re: U.S. considers closing border with Canada if bird flu strikes

Lunacy.

 

[Snowy Owl]

Re: U.S. considers closing border with Canada if bird flu strikes

Unrealistic, there are 2 500 miles of border between Canada and US.

Most of it is forests

 

[LMonty]

Re: U.S. considers closing border with Canada if bird flu strikes

just plain silly

The Canada-U.S. manufacturing industry particularly the auto industry would be hit especially hard, the report said.

Like its not going to be hit hard if people stop buying for the year or so a pandemic exists, and with an excess of slightly used vehicles if theres quite a few put on the market?

Thats just one point...theres many in this article that indicate to me the reporter doesnt get it. I think it just may be a bit of sensationalism- the text doesnt quite support that its a real liklihood.

 

[Bruce]

Re: U.S. considers closing border with Canada if bird flu strikes

This brings to my attention that there will more than probably be internal borders set up in the <st1:country-region><st1>US</st1></st1:country-region><st1:country-region></st1:country-region> and worldwide too, they might follow state lines or geographical areas. <o></o>

 

[Goju]

Re: U.S. considers closing border with Canada if bird flu strikes

How are they going to do this with a 40% drop in manpower and possibly a major reduction in gasoline supplies and all that goes with it?

 

[Lyro]

Borders last option in combating the spread of bird flu

Borders last option in combating the spread of bird flu

Apparently, the U.S. changed their minds about closing borders.


FEDS: BIRD FLU BORDER CLOSURES UNLIKELY
By Barry Schweid (AP), Diplomatic Writer
June 26, 2006

Washington - Closing U.S. borders would be the last option in combating the spread of bird flu, a senior State Department official said Monday.

It would not be likely to decrease the number of cases, would interrupt essential services and would disrupt lawful border crossings, said Paula J. Dobriansky, undersecretary of state for democracy and global affairs.

Avian flu is not only a health issue. It has economic, social and security ramifications," Dobriansky said at a seminar at the Nixon Center, a private think tank.

Dobriansky outlined a U.S. government program in which information and other support is provided to 46 countries. Congress has provided $3.8 billion to finance this year's expenses.

The Agriculture Department's inspector general last week reported that the Bush administration lacked a comprehensive plan to test and monitor bird flu in commercial poultry.

Dobriansky declined to reply directly to the report, saying it was not issued by the State Department. However, she said "our efforts have been extremely well-coordinated" and include strong support for the
World Health Organization and the U.N. Food Agency.

There have been outbreaks of the disease in 53 countries, leading to the deaths of 130 people, Dobriansky said.

If the disease escalates it could lead to civil unrest and instability, the State Department official said, and she likened the potential impact to the bubonic or Black Plague, which started in China and ravaged Europe in the 14th century.

Most human cases of bird flu have been traced to contact with sick birds. In Vietnam, 42 people have died, and in Indonesia, 39, since the virus began ravaging Asian poultry stocks in late 2003.

Source: http://health.einnews.com/news/Indonesia-Hospitals-Medical-Centers

 

[Christian Rivers]

Re: U.S. considers closing border with Canada if bird flu strikes

I assume the article by Alberts refers to the the National Strategy For Pandemic Influenza-- Implementation Plan, http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/nspi_implementation.pdf

The document discusses some of the collaborative efforts of the US with Canada and Mexico in pages 75 through 81. Almost the entire discussion is on alternative options to complete border closure for containment.

CR

 

[hawkeye]

Re: U.S. considers closing border with Canada if bird flu strikes

We shouldn't even waste our time with this thought. Just plain crazy.

 

[Mingus]

Re: U.S. considers closing border with Canada if bird flu strikes

Close school, shoping center, and all public areas will target the contamination vector.

Close a continent-long border will only... keep all the racoon and beaver out of that place.

 

[Mingus]

Re: U.S. considers closing border with Canada if bird flu strikes

Sorry for that kidding, I did just think of that place,

There is a touristic attraction in southern Québec, a house that haved been built just exacly on the US/Canadian border during the prohibition time...

The kitchen is in Canada and the restroom is in US.

Don't know where is the toilet

Please quick! Send the national guard there to make sure they wash their hands

 

[Siamese]

Re: U.S. considers closing border with Canada if bird flu strikes

I guess they are throwing out the Pandemic Plan, it stated that closing borders wouldn't stop the flu, just slow it a little. Just plain silly. I wonder who's brain child this is?

 

[hawkeye]

Re: U.S. considers closing border with Canada if bird flu strikes

oh...I get it now, closing the borders is only the last option...geez


Feds: Bird Flu Border Closures Unlikely

lu, a senior State Department official said Monday.

It would not be likely to decrease the number of cases, would interrupt essential services and would disrupt lawful border crossings, said Paula J. Dobriansky, undersecretary of state for democracy and global affairs.

"Avian flu is not only a health issue. It has economic, social and security ramifications," Dobriansky said at a seminar at the Nixon Center, a private think tank.

Dobriansky outlined a U.S. government program in which information and other support is provided to 46 countries. Congress has provided $3.8 billion to finance this year's expenses.

The Agriculture Department's inspector general last week reported that the Bush administration lacked a comprehensive plan to test and monitor bird flu in commercial poultry.

Dobriansky declined to reply directly to the report, saying it was not issued by the State Department. However, she said "our efforts have been extremely well-coordinated" and include strong support for the World Health Organization and the U.N. Food Agency.

There have been outbreaks of the disease in 53 countries, leading to the deaths of 130 people, Dobriansky said.

If the disease escalates it could lead to civil unrest and instability, the State Department official said, and she likened the potential impact to the bubonic or Black Plague, which started in China and ravaged Europe in the 14th century.

Most human cases of bird flu have been traced to contact with sick birds. In Vietnam, 42 people have died, and in Indonesia, 39, since the virus began ravaging Asian poultry stocks in late 2003.